The K20D would be ideal for travel, nature, macro, and studio photographers. Along with the superior resolution, the weather sealing and high quality compact lens system makes great for nature and travel photographers, and for close to $1000 it’s one of the best cameras on the market if you don’t need a blazing fast fps, or a higher flash sync.

All in all, the Pentax K20D is a decent camera with enough features to keep top-end enthusiasts, travel photographers and possibly even some pros happy. It’s not the 14.6megapixel sensor that makes this the camera what it is, that almost doesn’t matter – it’s the combination of intuitive layout, functions and relative ease of use.

Pentax has issued a firmware update for the K20D. According to DP Review, the firmware “addresses the problem characterized on the DPReview forums in which ‘hot’ pixels could appear when the 2-second self times was used.” The official party line is that new firmware “[m]inimize[s] the noise when taking picture with 2 seconds self-timer mode.” It is available here for download.

It wasn’t “so fast I didn’t notice.” But I’d describe it as “fast.” More important, it was positive. By that I mean that when I pressed the button halfway, the mechanism almost always made one direct move to focus, and stayed there.

GOLDEN, CO (May 22, 2008) PENTAX Imaging Company announced the PENTAX Gear Up Rebate today designed for new and existing Pentaxians to save big on a complete DSLR system. From now through July 26, 2008, the rebate offers savings on individual products or on a complete PENTAX K20D or K200D system including a body, lenses, flash and battery grip. For example, Pentaxians may save $375.00* on a system including a PENTAX K20D body, a smc PENTAX DA*16-50mm lens, a smc PENTAX DA*50-135mm lens, a BG 2 Grip and an AF-540 FGZ Flash.

*Accessories included in this rebate must be purchased at the same time as a K20D or K200D body on the same receipt to receive full rebate.